Sorting of differently identified articles
OwnerAdam J. Barnettinventor
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Abstract
An apparatus is disclosed for sorting differently identified articles, in particular for sorting differently colored gaming chips. The apparatus includes a rotating transfer disc arranged to remove individual chips from a random store and transfer them to a conveyor. The conveyor carries the chips first to a sensor which is arranged to sense the color of the chip and then to a chip ejector which is arranged to remove the chips from the conveyor and deposit them in a respective one of several containers depending on the color of the chip.
Claims21
Apparatus for sorting a plurality of differently identified gaming chips, said apparatus comprising transfer means arranged to remove individual ones of said chips from a store of randomly arranged chips and transfer said chips in sequence to conveyor means, said conveyor means being located above said transfer means and arranged to carry said chips in sequence first to sensing means arranged to sense an identifiable characteristic of said individual chips, and subsequently to chip ejector means arranged to remove individual ones of said chips from said conveyor means and deposit individual said chips in a respective selected one of a plurality of receptacles depending on the characteristic of said individual chip identified by said sensing means, said transfer means comprising a substantially planar disc having a central axis and being rotatable about said central axis, the plane of the disc being inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal.
Apparatus for sorting a plurality of differently identified gaming chips, said apparatus comprising transfer means arranged to remove individual ones of said chips from a store of randomly arranged chips and transfer said chips in sequence to conveyor means, said conveyor means being arranged to carry said chips in sequence first to sensing means arranged to sense an identifiable characteristic of said individual chips, and subsequently to chip ejector means arranged to remove individual ones of said chips from said conveyor means and deposit individual said chips in a respective selected one of a plurality of receptacles depending on the characteristic of said individual chip identified by said sensing means, said transfer means comprising a substantially planar disc having a central axis and being rotatable about said central axis, the plane of the disc being inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal, said disc being provided with a plurality of projecting pins arranged in respective pairs around the periphery of the disc each pair arranged to carry a respective individual chip from said store to said conveyor means as said disc rotates about said axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.